Flexible metal fire-escape



(No Model T. PRUSHEY. FLEXIBLE METAL FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Jan. 23, 1894.

. LS r u w 1 t w m v Wu ea 1% T a m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS PRUSHEY, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FLEXIBLE M ETAL FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 513,139, dated January23, 1894.

Application filed March 23, 1893. Serial No.467,238. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS PRUSHEY, of the city of Minneapolis, countyof Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new andImprovedFlexible Metal Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to improvements in ladders and more especially infire escapes.

The object of my invention is to provide a ladder which shall becomposed entirely of metal and yet which will possess all of theflexible qualities of rope and at the same time be nearly as light andmore convenient to handle and use.

My invention consists in the combination with two steel tapes or hands,of U-shaped sheetmetalcross-barshavingsplitendsriveted thereto, wherebythe whole ladder may be rolled into a small, compact bundle; and myinvention further consists in various details of constructions and incombinations all as hereinafter described and more particularly pointedout in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in whichv Figure l is a perspective View showing one of my ladders or fireescapes in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing thedetailed construction of the ladder. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailsectional view taken on line y-y ofFig. 2 showing the manner ofattaching the cross-bar to the tape. Fig. 4 is a sectional view thereofon the line x-x of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view thereof and Fig. 6 is aperspective showing the ladder rolled up.

As shown in the drawings my ladder 1s made up of two long and thin steeltapes 3 and 4 connected by the cross-bars 5,which bars are each composedof a wide, flat sheet of the thin steel material, which sheet is bentinto a substantially U form inverted. The ends of the bars thus made aresplit and the steel tapes are placed between them the bar then beingsecured upon the steel by rivets 6 which pass through the two parts ofthe split ends and through the intervening metallic strip or tape. Inthis manner I am enabled to provide a cross-bar of extremely lightweight and still of sufficient strength to readily support the Weight ofa person. Further, the bars, being rounded, will in no way lacerate thehands of a person descending the ladder. The ladder thus made up of theflexible side pieces may be as readily wound up as so much rope and willoccupy but little more space. I secure the upperend of the ladder upon along rod or arbor 7 and wind the ladder thereon. For the sake ofneatness, I may provide the end disks on the arbor.

In use the end of the ladder is uncoiled from the roll and thrown outthrough the window, the bar being placed across the window casing andforming a reliable fastening for the upper end of the ladder.

I may prefer to provide one or more brackets 10 upon the outside wall of'the building beneath the window-sill or sills and by throwing the endof the ladder over and outside of these brackets prevent theladder fromswingin g against the Walls in which case a persons feet might be pushedfrom the rounds or the hands bruised by striking against the wall of thebuilding.

Where the ladder is intended to be used as a permanent fixture upon theoutside wall of the building, I provide clips 11 upon the cross-bars ofthe brackets 10, which clips embrace the side strips and prevent theladder from swinging laterally. I may also provide hooks or otherfastenings at the lower end of the ladder to prevent its swinging.

If desired, the lower end of the ladder may be drawn up in a loop asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A flexible metallic ladder, composed of thin,flexible steel tapes and transversely bent, U -shaped sheet metal roundsriveted thereto, substantially as described.

2. In a flexible metallic ladder, the combination of thin steel tapes,making up the sides of the ladder and with the inverted U form metalrounds, or cross-bars, having split ends embracing and riveted to saidtapes substantially as described.

3. The combination with the thin metal tapes or strips of the invertedU-shaped sheet metal cross-bars or rounds riveted to said tapes and across-bar or arbor 7 whereto the 5 upper ends of said tapes are securedsubstan- Eialy as described and for the purpose speci- In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of March, 1893.

THOMAS PRUSHEY.

In presence of C. G. HAWLEY, F. S. LYON.

